


Winter wonderland

by lucyssecrets



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Ben Solo is Not Nice, Enemies to Lovers, Eventual Sex, Eventual Smut, F/M, First Time, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Humor, Kissing, Music Festival, Sassy Rey (Star Wars), Surprise Kissing, Thirsty Rey (Star Wars), Winter Time
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-14
Updated: 2019-10-11
Packaged: 2020-09-01 01:15:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20249734
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lucyssecrets/pseuds/lucyssecrets
Summary: “Would you like me to educate you too?”“No, thanks. I don’t take orders from men.”





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was somewhat inspired by a festival I was at recently, and it was pure magic.  
Thank you so much for my beta, Cecila1204, for her patience and support!  
And for all the Swolettes, for making me feel at home and welcomed!

[](https://ibb.co/C5L9xcT)  
They said it would be fun.  
They said, 'come on, join us and loosen up' and she listened, like a fool that she is.

But hey, they are her friends, they know her better than anyone, so there must be something she was going to enjoy at this crazy-ass festival they were taking her to.  
And the trip? Four hours by train. Thank God it was one of the fast trains. And she couldn't complain about the view - there were moments when she felt like she was in an Agatha Christie novel. Except of course, there was no murder on their train, for all she knew, but if they'd traveled for an extra hour she may have killed her best friend’s boyfriend, the so-called 'Crazy Finn'. He’s her friend too, but damn, does he talk and have the energy of a Tasmanian Devil high on coke.

They had to travel up into the Austrian Alps, where the festival was being held. The festival grounds were along the slopes and included a large number of hotels so it was easy to access any area of interest within the festival. That was a good thing as she could find her own way back to her room when she'd had enough. She knew her friends could party hard and she often partied with them, but when the alcohol really took hold she always felt left out when the couples started getting all amorous, kissing and hugging uninhibitedly.

Now who in their right mind organizes a festival during winter? Why would you want to stand out in the cold and dance all night? She sure hoped they had a lot of alcohol that could cloud her judgement and numb her body.

She'd brought enough clothes and boots to cover any contingency. They'd said 'travel light, Rey, we all know you have no limits'. Did she listen to them? Maybe, maybe not. Hell, they'd traveled by train and there was no luggage limit. A girl needed to be prepared - anything could happen. What she knew for sure was that she had a double room with a queen size bed to herself. She didn't need a man to warm up her bed in order to sleep well. She could sleep without any disturbances or headaches.  
There were several buses that took them from the train station to the lodge they had booked. The road was amazing: a winter wonderland with snow covering everything. Small, intimate streets with already lit Christmas lights; people gathered in groups talking, laughing, drinking. It did look appealing, she had to admit. She decided she could try to blend in, at least for one night. For the other three she’d just have to get creative.

  
“Heeyyy, Reeyy!”  
“What, Satan? What?”  
Finn was going to get a lot more intimate with the snow that night, with a little help from her, if he kept it up like that.  
“Ohhh, look baby, she's callin’ me Satan. What did I do to our sweet Rey?”  
Rose eyed him warily. She knew when not to bug Rey. Finn though…  
“Rey Rey is no fun fun.”  
“What did you drink, Finn? Was the hot tea spiked with something?”  
“Nah, I’m just excited we’re here. Come on, let’s get out of this bus.”

  
His short attention span never ceased to amaze her. She had no clue how Rose kept up with him. They got off the bus and found themselves in front of the lodge. It was like a Hallmark postcard you'd send to your best friend - just perfect. All wrapped up in Christmas decorations and the logo of the festival, surrounded by a lot of fir trees, evergreen. And the lodge was built of wood, of course, tree trunks linked together to create a welcoming and comfy feeling.

  
They settled the room arrangements and decided to meet in the lounge area in two hours max. They started the party that night so having a sleep now was a must on everybody’s agenda. Her room was amazing, it even had a fireplace in front of the bed. The view was spectacular - and was that what she thought it was? Somebody had upgraded her room to one with a Jacuzzi on the balcony. Oh, this would be so much fun.

  
Rey proceeded to unpack and put everything in its place, take a short hot shower to relax her muscles and get her body ready for sleep. She’d expected for her alarm to wake her up, but no chance, there was a knock on the door and they wouldn't go away, as much as she tried to ignore whoever it was. She pulled off the blanket in which she was wrapped like a burrito, not caring that her hair was sticking to her face and might have a weird bun on her left side, and went to open the door.

  
“I’m sorry, madam. We didn’t want to wake you up, but your welcome gift is here. Each guest is receiving it before the festival check-in.”  
She rubbed her eyes to better see the person standing in front of her, holding a big basket full of goodies and other stuff she can’t yet make out. What the heck was this? Nobody told her anything about gifts.  
“Are you sure you have the right person? I didn’t sign up for a welcome gift when I bought my ticket.“  
“Yes, madam. This is a gift from the organizers to all the festival guests.”  
Mhm, now how could she say no? Free goodies for her to enjoy.  
“Where would you like me to put it?”  
“On the table over there would be fine.”  
She let him in while she shuffled quickly, searching for money to tip the guy. She tried to hand him a bill but he politely pushed her hand back to her wallet.  
“We are not allowed to receive tips during this period.”  
“How does that make sense? You’re doing extra work during the festival.”  
“Working this week is optional for all employees and we are being paid extra by the organizers.”  
“That sounds like a good thing. Well, ok then, thank you so much for this. Send the organizers my thanks.”  
“Will do, madam. Have a nice stay. Feel free to call our reception desk for whatever you need.”

  
And then he left, dragging a cart full of baskets similar to hers. Closing the door, she skipped to the basket like a kid on Christmas day, removing the wrapping and digging in. It contained champagne, wine, all kinds of sweets and crackers, some exquisite chocolates, and, oh my, clothing. There was a t-shirt, sweater, gloves, ski pass, gift card to rent ski/snowboard equipment and there, lying in a jewelry box, was the festival bracelet she'd be using to complete her check-in. It was red, the bright blood-red she loved, and attached to it was the small card that had to be topped up with money to spend on the festival premises. Oh, she felt like a spoiled princess with all these.

  
As she put on the t-shirt she received which fit like a glove, she remembered that she had mentioned her clothing size but didn’t bother too much about why she'd been asked for it. Of course it was red, the motto of the festival written on it in what looked like frozen letters: “Show your magic”. You bet she would! She put the t-shirt and leggings on and texted Rose to come by. It was time to decide what they’d do today; what to wear; makeup, no makeup.

  
Rose brought the lovely Finn along who seemed to have cooled down since Rey last saw him as well as the festival map. She did have one in the basket but didn’t get a chance to look at it, what with all the other goodies in there.

  
“I like that.”  
“Huh?”  
She had half a hand dipped in a bag of Swiss chocolates when they entered her room, so she had no idea what Rose was talking about.  
“The t-shirt, you goofball. I’m not even going to discuss the chocolate spread around your mouth. And I hope you’re all alone and not with somebody doing the kinky “let’s eat chocolate off of Rey” thing.”  
“Ahaha, good one, Rose. Of course I'm alone and for your info, this chocolate is so damn good I couldn't care less that I have it on my face.”  
“Ok, girls, wrap it up. Your discussion is turning into something you’d see at the start of a porn film. We have more important things to do. Rose, map please.”  
Rey refused to stop eating the chocolate, so along with the box, she moved across the bed to where Rose and Finn had gathered around the big map.  
“So, we have different stages with different genres. I can assure you that you'll want to give all of them a try and there’s enough time for that. Anyway, with the phone app, we can select our preferred line ups and check out the stages based on that.”  
“Look at him, Rose. He’s so prepared, I feel like I’m in a business meeting.”  
She popped another chocolate in her mouth and almost choked on it when a pillow hit her in the head.  
“What the hell, Finn?”  
“Pay attention and stop making fun. It won't be fun when you get lost at the festival and we’re nowhere to be found.”

  
She plans on doing just that but he doesn’t need to know.  
"Don't being stupid, I have my phone with me.”  
“And a weak signal. Now focus. So, we’ll do the check in here, top up our bracelets, get some food in this area and then go see where all the stages are, a first glance at least. I’d suggest trying the ones linked to our lodge first.”  
She forgot how serious Finn could get when he had something planned out. She dared to raise a hand so she could speak. She didn't want another pillow to disturb her balance or her chocolate intake.  
“Yes, Rey.”  
“What do you mean 'linked to our lodge'?”  
“Here, on the map, see? These little things that look like streets?”  
“Yep.”  
“They are temporary tunnels running between the hotels and lodges and some of the stages, depending on where your lodge or hotel is situated. They put them up so that you won’t have to carry your heavy jacket with you.”  
“Clever, I love that. Let’s try those first. I don’t think I’m ready to put that thing on yet.”

  
She’s not, because when her parents found out where she was going they bought her a Canada Goose loose-fitted coat. And yes, it was red. She couldn't argue that they didn’t pick a good color, but still, it was really heavy compared to what she usually wore.  
Rey decided on keeping the t-shirt on, matched with skinny ripped jeans, her grey Timberland's and a North Face bright lime jacket. Finn assured her that she’d be warm enough so they moved on to the makeup. She and Rose did each other's makeup and were just about done an hour later when Finn returned with the rest of the gang.  
Check-in was completed in five minutes and they moved excitedly on to the first stage after getting some drinks. She chose a strange winter cocktail that they said would keep her warm. And it did, making her feel buzzed from the tip of her toes to the top of her nose.

  
“Whoa there, take it easy, Rey. You almost tripped over that girl.”  
“I didn’t see her.”  
“She was, like, in your face,"  
"Shut up, Rose.”

  
So maybe she wasn't that well rested and the alcohol was doing some monkey business to her body. She’d just have to be more careful and drink slower.  
The first stage was mind blowing, trance music being mixed and people were already gathering near it, while others chose to sit in the stands surrounding the stage. They got some seats near one of the exits, in case it got too much for them or they didn't like it and they could escape without bothering too many people.

  
There were people coming in waves and waves as there was a big DJ coming up. She got a seat near the stairs by the exit, so there was more room for her to dance if she used the stairs. Which she was totally planning on doing one minute before the DJ started his mix, but her clumsiness showed up, as always, at the worst moment as she tripped and braced for impact. Impact that was not that painful, her butt hitting something not so hard. It was still hard but not, like, floor hard.

  
“Are you ok?” a voice whispered in her ear.

  
She'd fallen on somebody and was now sitting on his lap. Good girl, going and hurting other people. She put her hands on his knees and turned to face him. She couldn't see him too well, there wasn't enough light, but she could confirm that his body was rock hard; at least the parts touching hers.

  
“I’m so so so sorry. I’m fine, thank you! I hope I didn’t hurt you.”  
“Don’t worry, I’ll be ok. Please be more careful next time. I might not be here to catch you.”

  
His voice did funny things to her belly. Or was it the alcohol? His lips were so close to hers, it was dark and nobody could see them. He couldn't see her, she couldn't see him, and there was something magical about it as she moved towards him and kissed him. It was soft at first and he didn't move a muscle. She must have shocked the guy but had no regrets. She drew back but immediately got pulled back by a hand on her cheek. He was the one who deepened the kiss this time, his full lips all over hers, doing a dance only they were aware of. They didn't move any other part of their bodies, the lips are doing all the communication they needed.

  
A strong light shone from the stage and he pulled away abruptly. She was back on her feet in seconds, turning around to see him properly. He was so tall and well-built and was wearing the uniform of a festival steward, a walkie talkie on his belt.

  
Damn it, Rey. He was just trying to help you because that's his job. Well, not the kissing part.

  
He gave her a sharp glance and went back to being all business, looking and searching for anything that could go wrong in the crowd. She returned to her place near her friends with a gloomy look plastered to her face, hoping her friends wouldn't notice and grill her with questions.

  
No such luck with Rose. Rey thinks she has a special sense, a “how is Rey feeling” sense, because as soon as she was back in the group Rose looked at her, raising her shoulders and mouthing, “what?”. Rey waved her off, not wanting to worry Rose when everybody was having fun. And, all in all, there was nothing wrong. She'd just been kissed by a stranger who then acted like a cold hearted bastard afterwards. There, that’s all, and she was FINE. Where was that damn cocktail? She found it under her chair and took the biggest sip, ever. That should do it; more alcohol to forget about any drama and relax. That’s why she was here. She snuck glances at the steward who was oblivious to her presence. He had to do his job, that’s why he was paying more attention to the crowd. There was no smoking in here and you were not allowed to stand on the stairs and block the exits. She noticed he was trying to let people know the rules, kindly, but never smiling. He was so serious and that made him even more intriguing.

  
A mix of Ellie Goulding and Major Lazer’s ‘Powerful’ started and that was one of the moments she wanted to avoid; her friends doing couple things to sappy songs. With her cocktail in one hand, she turned to get out of the concert hall and she thought she'd managed to escape when a hand dragged her back, taking her back into the dark. She had her back plastered to one of the walls, her steward blocking any movement.

  
“You’re not allowed to go out through this exit, miss.”

  
It’s 'miss' now? He was not this polite when he'd dared to kiss her, without even asking, she might add.

  
“Why is that? I was under the impression that we can come and go whenever we please.”  
“It’s not safe. There’s a lot of people coming in and you could get lost.”  
“I’m a big girl, I can handle myself.” She moved closer to him and delivered her next line. “Since others don't seem to have a clue how to do it.” And she pushed him so that there was a gap between them. “Now, you either let me go or I start screaming. And I’m guessing you like your current job and do not want to get fired.”  
The bastard looked so smug, as if he knew she was talking nonsense.

  
“Let’s go.’  
And he led her out of the concert hall while un-clipping his walkie talkie from his belt.  
“Where do you think you’re taking me?”  
He ignored her completely while he spoke to somebody on his walkie.  
“Exit C, make room for me, ETA 2 minutes. Over.”  
“Yes, sir.”  
“Yes, sir.” She couldn’t help but mock the reply he got.  
“What did you say?” He had a strong hold on her arm and was almost dragging her, to Exit C hopefully and not to a dark dungeon.  
“You’ve educated your underlings well.”

  
He pulled her closer.  
“Would you like me to educate you too?”  
“No, thanks. I don’t take orders from men.”  
That got her a snort from him.  
“We’ll see about that.” The nerve of this guy. She tried to stop them, but in a manner of seconds, they were engulfed by the crowd, which glued her to his body more than she’d like.  
“Listen up, mister. No, we will not 'see about that'. I don’t know you, you don’t know me. You act like we didn’t just have a mind-blowing kiss in the dark and now you’re all Neanderthal on me, almost dragging me by my hair out of the cave. So, do your job and get me out of here safely and I will be on my way, thank you very much.”  
She was so enraged, she might just slap him if he made any snarky comments.  
“Mind-blowing kiss, hmm?”  
“Really? That’s all you've got in your brain?”  
“It didn’t go to my brain, for your info, but lower.”  
“YOU ARE INCREDIBLE.”

  
And she managed to somehow remove herself from his ironclad hold and make her way through the crazy crowd trying to push her back towards him.  
He was left behind but he knew that if he followed her now he wouldn't make anything better, so he did the only thing he could.

  
“Mad brunette, has a weird mixture of buns on her head and wearing a lime fleece, heading to your exit. Make sure she gets out safely and put somebody on her track. It’s dark outside and she’s alone.”  
“On it, sir.”  
“Thanks.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Ready?”   
“As I’ll ever be. How do you want to do this?”  
He was asking her? Like this was something that happened to her on a regular basis.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While I considered that this would be a short story, I think it might be more, so bare with me. My mind pops up ideas and it has no limit.   
Thank you again to my lovely beta, Cecila1204, for her patience and for helping me untangle words. And to my Thirst Order ladies, celebrating one month already!!

[ ](https://ibb.co/XbWsSgM)

She was surprised to see that she got out without any hassle. Indeed Exit C was clear of people. She chose the wrong path though, and found herself directly in the cold of the night.

Damn it all to hell, she was supposed to go back to their lodge through one of the tunnels. Ah screw it, she will have to make do and find her way in the dark. The thing about nights in the mountains, though, was that they were cold as fuck for somebody in only a t-shirt and a fleece jacket. And just her luck, wind gusts blew from time to time, to rustle her buns and freeze her scalp. She needed a fur cap, that damned jacket and a pair of pants over her leggings.

She advanced through the heavy snow, somehow ending up on a path with no footprints. Oh, she was so going to get lost and die. They would find her frozen body, but she knew that at least she’d go down looking fabulous. Yeah, that would do it - die in great shape. What the hell was wrong with her? Was the cold affecting her brain? That had to be it. She really didn’t want to die, she was too young.

She could call her friends but she wasn’t in the mood to hear Finn tell her he was right, so she kept on going although her body was shivering, her teeth chattering and she was short of breath. The last thing she remembered was hitting the cold snow face down. And then it all went dark.

What was that smell? Coffee with something and sanitary alcohol. Such a strange mix. Rey tried to open her eyes but her lids weren’t having it. She felt so tired, so spent. Was she in a hospital? Oh my God, she was paralyzed! She panicked before managing to move her toes. Yes, she still had her feet. Her hands responded accordingly. Stupid brain. Of course she wasn’t paralyzed from the neck down but her eyes were still not co-operating. She was panicking again until she felt a pair of warm hands soothing her.

“It’s alright, honey. Take it easy. You are fine. You fainted in the snow and were brought here quickly. There’s been real no damage and we’ve given you a mild analgesic that is making you drowsy. Don’t fight it, rest for a bit.”

The lady was so nice that Rey listened to her and stopped moving around, letting go of her panic and embracing the euphoric state running through her veins.

***

“Do you think she’ll be ok?”

“Of course, sugar. She might have some minor frostbites on her fingers but that’s about it. We gave her some fluids so that her body won’t be dehydrated and an analgesic. She should be up in no time.”

“Thank you, miss. It means a lot.”

She could hear Finn talking with the nice lady and it felt like a dream. Everything was foggy but this time, when she tried, her eyes peeled open.

“Rose!!! She is awake. Rey! Rey, peanut, how are you feeling?”

“Am I dead?” She managed to croak the few words. She wanted to ask for a glass of water but oddly enough, she wasn’t thirsty.

“Yes, peanut. And we’re your heaven. Silly girl, of course you’re not dead. Why would you think that?”

“Finn, stop asking her questions. She is tired.”

Her hero, Rose, always knowing when to jump to her rescue. She was indeed feeling like she’d climbed Everest. For all she knew, she just might’ve tried it and failed miserably.

Rose stood at the foot of her bed and patted her legs for reassuringly.

“You’ll be fine, babe. You’re in good hands here.”

She wasn’t worried about that, but…

“What happened?”

“You fainted, probably because of the cold and somebody found you and brought you here.”

She already knew that, damn it.

“What is this place?”

It sure looked like a hospital but she hadn’t seen anything resembling a hospital on the festival map.

“They have a small clinic on the premises. For cases like this.”

“Ok, peanut. Seeing that you’re feeling better… What the hell were you thinking?”

Finn was squeezing her right arm a little too tightly.

“Finn, stop it. Give her a break.”

“No, Rose, I won’t. She was lucky somebody found her. Why didn’t you go through the tunnels? Why?”

Rey didn’t have the energy to fight him right now. She knew it was all her fault and she didn’t need a reminder that she had been stupid, thank you very much.

“It’s past visiting hours.”

The nice lady appeared out of nowhere. Rey was right to call her a nice lady, she had gentle eyes and her voice was soothing.

“Wait, what? I’m staying here?”

She just wanted to get to her queen size and sleep until she’d had enough and then sleep some more.

“We have to keep you overnight. Protocol and all that. If you’re fine in the morning, we’ll let you go and have fun again.”

Though the lady was smiling and trying to sound very optimistic, she wasn’t giving Rey good news.

“But I’m feeling good now.”

“Your blood work is not completed yet, but it will by morning. So just enjoy the quiet night and get your batteries recharged for tomorrow. Give me a buzz if you need anything. You two have five minutes left.”

When she was gone, it occurred to Rey why she needed blood work.

“They think I do drugs, don’t they?”

Rose and Finn were looking at her like she suddenly grew and extra head.

“Just get some rest, Rey. Nobody thinks you’re doing drugs. Most probably it’s protocol to run tests when somebody faints out of the blue. We’ll be back here in the morning, we promise. You have your phone here so feel free to bug us all night if you get bored. Come on, Finn. Let’s go.”

“Yeah, ok. I’ll be waiting for you. First thing in the morning, Rose. If you don’t want to me to haunt you for the rest of your life. You know I hate hospitals.”

For a second there, Rose was frightened, Rey never threatened something she didn’t follow up with.

“Funny, Rey, very funny. And this is not a hospital.” She grabbed Finn by his collar, pulling him towards the exit.

“It sure looks like one. See you in the morning, lovelies.”

Then she was left alone in the room, wallowing in her misery. She could be so stupid sometimes and it served her right that she’d ended up here. One second to make a bad decision and look how well that turned out.

Lesson learned, thank you very much, Universe.

***

“She was drugged. Or she’s using. Look here.”

“I’m not a doctor, Jamie. Might as well tell me what I’m looking at.”

Drugged? What? What? That word woke her up instantly. She was looking at Mister Steward and the nice lady, now known as Jamie. They were both looking at some papers, her blood work results for sure.

“I don’t use, I swear.”

That made both of them turn their heads towards her bed.

“Good, you’re up. Jamie, explain this to both of us. Might as well do it just once.”

“Sure thing. You ingested a small amount of Rohypnol. It was actually good that you got out in the cold and fainted. Otherwise, let’s not think about what could’ve happened.”

Rey was silent. She was digesting the new information and it wasn’t a nice pill to swallow. She just ingested a rape drug. Fucking hell.

“How long did you leave your drink unsupervised?”

The Steward was back into detective mode. Why was he acting like that? Oh, right, his job was to prevent this type of thing. Well look who got distracted? She squeezed her brain to remember what he was asking.

“I was dancing before moving to the stairs, and then it was dark, I fell…”

He knew what happened next. He wasn’t about to force her to tell their story to Jamie, right?

He raised his eyes from the papers straight at her and he knew what she was saying. They both got distracted for a minute there, just enough for somebody to go under her chair and pour the drug into her drink.

“Right. Jamie, send this to Don. He’ll know what to do next. Tell him this happened in Ambrosia stage. I’ll be at HQ soon.”

“Yes, boss.” She then looked at Rey’s frightened face. “Hun, take it easy, ok? It wasn’t your fault. This world is full of crazy people. Just never let your drink out of your sight and you should be fine.”

She closed her eye wanting it all to go away. Her first winter festival and this is what happened on the first night? Talk about bad luck.

“Hey, listen to Jamie. She’s been with us for years now. She has a daughter and raised her well and healthy. She knows what she’s talking about.”

It was not that comforting. Once her parents found out, they would sue the ass out of the organizers. Because that was their modus operandi. If something went wrong, they fixed it with money and lawyers. No feelings involved or expressed.

“I should’ve kept my drink in my hand at all times.”

“And I should’ve paid attention when you didn’t. It’s what I needed to do.”

They were looking at each other, knowing they were in this together.

“We both got distracted.”

It hurt to admit it, after all he was the one who bluntly ignored their kiss afterwards.

“We sure did.”

Did he just agree with her? She didn’t think of anything that she could say to him now and not sound pathetic so she chose to keep her mouth shut.

“Alright then, I’ll get to work and find out who did it. I will keep you posted on the progress. We might need your help in this, but I will let you know if that’s the case. I can assure you that we will get to the bottom of this and catch the bastard. He or she will be banned forever from the festival and will be handed over to the authorities.”

Bursting the bubble they just had… back to being all business. His rambling told her he was nervous. She wasn’t sure why, but still, it was something.

“Thank you! I appreciate it.”

“Have a good night, Miss Rohnson.”

He was half way out of the room when she called out.

“It’s Rey.”

He didn’t turn to look at her, but replied before leaving.

“I know.”

She was once again alone in the room with all her crazy thoughts. She was not going to call her parents. She didn’t need their drama now. She had her own to deal with. And weirdly enough, she just wanted to put this whole story behind her and go back to having a good time with her friends. 

The rest of the night went by without any other visits and she managed to get a few hours of well-deserved sleep.

***

“Would you look at how angelic she seems when she’s asleep?”

“She could always be like that, Finn, if you didn’t bug her.”

“What? We’re just playing, having fun.”

These friends of hers, always there when she needed them, and this time they’d outdone themselves. She was expecting them after she’d called them and told them she was ready to go.

“You dumbasses, you do know I can hear you, right?”

“Well, you do sleep so heavily sometimes that nothing can wake you up. We just assumed it was one of those moments.”

Cute, but wrong. She wanted to get out of there as soon as possible and forget last night happened. Well, not all of last night’s events.

“Good morning, sugars. Rey, how are you feeling today?”

This woman was amazing, Rey just wanted to hug her and stay with her all day, watch her bake cookies and listen to her telling fairy tales. God, she really did have childhood issues.

“I’m perfect, actually. Whatever cocktail of fluids you pumped into me worked wonders. I think that I can go party right now.”

“Whilst that is cute, I must inform you that the festival opens at 2 o’clock in the afternoon. You get the rest of the day to relax around and enjoy other entertainment.”

That made Finn very excited and he looked like he was about to suggest an entire itinerary for the day, until Rose put her hand on his shoulder and settled him down.

“We’ll take Rey to have breakfast like a queen and we’ll see then what she’s in the mood for.”

“That sounds like a perfect plan. Rey, I will give you my phone number and if you need anything, give me a call.”

She was about to ask if she’d be willing to adopt Rey, as a joke, of course, but she didn’t get a chance because the air in the room instantly changed when Mister Steward entered..

“Oh, he’s hot!”

“What the heck, Rose?”

Finn was flabbergasted by Rose’s uncensored reaction. So was Rey but she knew it wasn’t her place to react, though a hint of jealousy crept its way into the dark corners of her mind.

“Did I just say that out loud?”

“Yeah, you sure as hell did. We need to talk about your thoughts.”

Mister Steward was feeling uncomfortable watching the lovers discuss about him. Wait, was that a hint of a blush on his cheeks? Was he embarrassed as well? He must’ve known by now that he was a fine piece of walking art. A mountain not that easily moved.

“Yes, well, I was just coming by to check on Miss Rohnson and offer to accompany her to her room.”

A puff erupted from Rose’s mouth and Finn seemed just about to have it with her teenage behavior.

“Rey, we’ll wait outside for you. I need some private time with my future wife who can’t keep her dirty thoughts in check.”

They were out of the room in a flash, obviously ready for a fight Rey didn’t feel like being a part of.

“So what was that about you taking me to my room?”

Time to ruffle his feathers a bit.

“I didn’t say I’d take you, I said I will accompany you.”

“Semantics. Let’s see what Jamie suggests.”

“Wait. What are you doing?”

She was buzzing Jamie, because an expert’s advice was the one to follow, right?

‘What can I help you with, Rey?” She nodded seeing that Rey wasn’t alone.

“Well, what is the best transportation method for me right now? Walking or something else?”

“Hm, to be on the safe side, would be best if you didn’t walk.”

“So if somebody carried me, that would be okay?”

Somebody was looking like he was about to crash, realizing where the discussion was heading, and yes, he was involved in what was going to happen next.

“If you find somebody to do it, yes. I think your friend outside would. They look like they’d give you a hand whenever you need it.”

“Thank you for the information. I know just the right. Are there any papers that I need to sign before I leave?”

“Your friends took care of everything. You are free to go whenever you are ready. And remember, call me anytime.”

She went to the bathroom to change into her clothes, not needing help and found him still in the room on her return. So he was ready to carry her, instead of running for the hills.

“Ready?”

“As I’ll ever be. How do you want to do this?”

He was asking her? Like this was something that happened to her on a regular basis. Maybe he thought she was a precious little daddy’s girl, judging by her attire and behavior so far.

“You know, I was half joking when I suggested it. You don’t really have to do it.”

“Is that so?”

He had a mischievous look when he reached out and made contact with her waist.

“I’m giving you an out, mister. Take it and we’ll both continue with our own lives.”

He was pulling her closer and closer to his enormous body.

“Where’s the fun in that now?”

She wasn’t in the mood for fun games. Him though…

“Hop on, climb me. Or do you want me to put you over my shoulder like a Neanderthal? As I do recall you called me one last night.”

“I fainted last night and I am still in a frail condition. Stop whatever you’re doing.”

He had now both hands on her waist and he was bending down to be level with her.

“You’re going to use that excuse on me? Like I’m about to hurt you? I didn’t hurt you last night, now did I?”

He was gentle in a “I respect you as a woman, we’ll take this as far as you want” kind of way. He could’ve taken advantage of her so easily, yet he didn’t.

“And what do you want to do now to me?”

“Fulfill your wish and take you back to your room in my arms. Do you want to touch me but don’t know how?”

“As far as I can see, you’re the one insisting on it, so you’re the one who wants to put his hands on me.”

He bent further, closed his eyes and whispered so that she felt his breath on her eyelids. “I already have my hands on you. Let’s see what I can do next, shall we?”

She put her hands on his chest and observed that he wasn’t wearing a uniform today, just casual attire, a black, almost skin-tight sweater and some jeans that hugged his body the way she wanted to hug him.

“What can you do that I haven’t seen so far?” Then she pushed him and moved to grab her things off the bed, leaving him extremely surprised in the middle of the room.

“I have no interest in seeing what you can offer, mister… pfff, do you realize that I don’t even know your name?”

“My name is…”

“Did I say I wanted to know it? It was a rhetorical question. Thanks again for the offer but I can take care of myself just fine.”

He was silent, following her with his eyes. His body was hard as a rock, mostly rigid from his surprised reaction but, hard yeah. He was thinking about how he could pull her closer and kiss her senseless before they had an adult talk.

“Have a good day, mister.”

She was like a storm, speeding like crazy out of the clinic, urging both Finn and Rose to follow her.

“Rey! Are you sure you should be nearly running like that?”

“Yeah, peanut, hold on. I promise you that nobody is following us.”

“Both of you. Shut up! If you don’t want to come with me, fine.”

She heard Rose whispering to Finn but she didn’t care to know what was said.

“What happened in there with mister hunk?”

“I don’t know, babe. We’ll have to let her tell us on her own. And stop acting like you have a crush on that man.”

Back in the clinic, Jamie was in the room setting up for the patient. “Oh, here you are. What’s with that murderous and somewhat amused look?”

“That woman is… I don’t even have words to describe her.”

“You know, last night when you guys brought her in, I thought she was your plus one or something. Her fleece matched your uniform. Isn’t that an interesting coincidence?”

He snorted. Always the dreamy Jamie believing that fairy tales were real.

“If I didn’t know better, Ben Solo, I’d say you’ve met your match.”

“Don’t get overly excited, Jamie. She’s just a brat, a daddy’s little girl.”

“Sure, because you weren’t a brat when you started your own business?”

Yes, yes he was. He came from money, and he thought money could get you anything. Until he really started working for said money. A lot had changed since then.

“I don’t know why she stormed out of here, but you be a gentleman and make things right.”

“You sound just like my mother.”

“And you’ll be lucky when she arrives and gives you the same advice. Think about it, Ben. That girl is special. Don’t dismiss the idea of a possible something between the two of you.”

He just nodded, it seems he had some planning to do if he wanted to fall back into her good grace, if he was ever there.

***

Later that night, Rey was nearly finished with her shower when she heard a loud knock on her door. Who might that be? She was starting to like surprises, and hoped it was another basket full of goodies. In her rush to open the door, she wrapped herself in her black silk robe, not realizing that it was clinging to her wet body. 

She opened the door and froze. Surprises, she liked. Shocking and unexpected visits, not so much.

“What are you doing here? Notice that again I am not saying your name. Catch my drift yet, mister?”

Would spanking her in the lobby be considered too much PDA for the other guests? He bet his team would have a blast watching him on the CCTVs.

“Kylo.” He wasn’t sure why he chose to use his college nickname instead of his real name.

Rey wasn’t actually expecting him to spit out a name in reply to her sarcasm. “Who’s that?”

He advanced and pushed her gently into the room, closing the door behind him. What was about to happen needed to be kept away from prying eyes.

“It’s my name, Rey.”

“You must really have selective hearing and missed the part when I said I don’t care.”

He took her in, a slow perusal of her body and she felt self-conscious now with her legs exposed, the slit of the robe going a bit further up than was decent, her nipples perfectly defined through the thin material where droplets of water gathered. Why was it so hot in the room and why wasn’t the air con working? And why did she feel the need to show him more and untie her robe?

“Don’t look at me like that.”

“Like what, mister Kylo?”

“Loose the mister, I’m not into that 50 Shades kink. You are looking too innocent and it doesn’t suit you.”

If he only knew just how innocent she was.

“Maybe I am that innocent.”

“Care to test that theory?”

He found the tie of the robe and slowly pulled the knot free. Out of instinct Rey caught the sides of the robe and covered herself.

“Wha… what are you doing?”

“I want to see where that innocence of yours is.”

The scared look she had on her face stopped him dead in his track.

“Hey, say no and I will stop.”

He was patiently looking at her and waiting for her consent. Would she… with him? Now? He was amazingly good looking, even that big nose of his had its own charm. And that hair. Damn that hair she’d love nothing more than to pull.

“Ok.”

One word. One word to change lives, one word to make her heart beat like crazy as she was stepping into the unknown. She was crazy for doing this. She knew nothing about him, but maybe it was for the best.

No strings attached and all.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Hello there, Mister Kylo.” 
> 
> She was mocking him. She was in the mood to play and he was in the mood to follow her lead.
> 
> “Tell me, Rey, do you like to be spanked in public?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more fun chapter in this crazy festival carousel. There are more chapters on the way, capturing what a festival is both for the crowd and as well for the organizers. If you haven't gone to one now, I'd say do it. It's an out of this world experience. 
> 
> Thank you again and again for my beta, Cecilia1204 (all her works can be found here: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cecilia1204/pseuds/Cecilia1204). I hope that someday I'll be a beta like her. English is not my native language, so Cecilia guides me through the mysterious ways of English. THANK YOU!
> 
> And of course, thank you, my readers. Any questions you have or any comments, I am so looking forward to them. This festival theme is so close to my heart and I am ready to spread the joy with all of you at any time.

[](https://ibb.co/KWTj5bK)]  
He advanced slowly letting her keep the robe in place, somehow understanding that it made her feel safe. While he’d started this like a predator chasing his prey, he was now watching her every move to understand what she wanted and what she needed from him. After all, he might be right. Perhaps she was really innocent and he was not the kind of man to be precipitated when it came to touching a woman. What was it he’d heard Jamie call it? Slow burn? Yeah, that was it. He liked to wait, and he liked foreplay, with all the buildup. So he pulled the belt of her robe and tied it back in place in a perfect bow. There, now she looked like an exquisite present for him. 

His move confused her completely. One minute she felt exposed, the next she was about to feel rejected. The last feeling was all too familiar to her but it always stung her. She took a step back to save her dignity and stop herself from throwing herself into his arms and begging him to take her. There would be no such action on her part – she’d promised herself not to do it ever again.

“Where are you going?” 

“I thought you didn’t want to…” She refused to say the words out loud. 

“You thought what, Rey? That I don’t want to touch you? That I’m not going crazy over here seeing your legs beneath that robe calling me to wrap them around my waist? That I don’t want to throw you on that bed and worship your body until you scream and beg me to stop, though I’d know you can take more?”

He was talking and with each question, he was taking another step toward her.

“But that would make me a man you’d not be able to trust in the long run. Because if I do any of the above mentioned, that would mean I’d be taking advantage of you. But until we get to the point where I have my way with you, because it will happen at some point, I want to get to know you better.”

He put his hands on her hips with a feather-light touch but she could still feel the warmth of his fingers encompassing her already burning skin. 

The fact that he didn’t want to sleep with her now made her forget all about feeling rejected and instead felt like a woman that got the respect she deserved. 

“Eyes up here, pretty girl. Can I kiss you now?”

His breathy voice sent thrills down her body. He was the epitome of an alpha man. Everything he said sounded like a command, even when he was asking a question. 

She finally wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her hands in his hair, and tugged him down. She was the one touching him, slowly kissing those plump lips, indulging in their fullness and velvety feel. Ben let her lead the way until he couldn’t handle it any longer. Her attempts to map out his lips and enjoy every minute were doing things to him and his lower parts. All of a sudden, his pants were tighter than he remembered. But he wanted to stay in control and not take it any further than this. 

Nobody said though that he couldn’t put all that he felt in the kiss, did they? Ben gripped her waist tighter, pulling her small, delicate body closer to his, deepening the kiss while resting one of his hands on her cheek and inhaling in her sweet scent. He was so aroused he wanted nothing more than to eat her out on the desk behind them to see if she really tasted as good as he imagined she would. It took all his willpower not to do it and be the gentleman he claimed himself to be. 

“The things I’d like to do to you…” 

Rey slowly peeled her eyes open to see his swollen lips moving, but she wasn’t focusing on what he was saying. She felt like she was drunk and was grateful that he had a strong hold on her, or else she would’ve been melting onto the floor. 

Ben slowed the pace, choosing to caress her face and slide his other hand up and down her waist. 

“I’ll see you tonight at the festival?” 

“Mhm, yeah, we’ll be there.”

“I will ask somebody to stay nearby, for safety reasons. You’ll know who that person is and if you see anything suspicious tell him and I will be informed.”

“Why does this sound like goodbye?”

“Business calls, but I will make sure we bump into each other tonight. Until later, pretty girl.” 

“But…”

Ben caught the look of uncertainty on her face and stopped his body from moving away.

“Rey, hey, look at me.” 

“It’s fine, you can go. I’ll be fine.”

“The fact that I have to leave right now has nothing to do with my desire for you, okay? I’m trying to tone it down a bit and not… how to put it in a politely?... ugh… not to take it any further, not tonight.” 

She managed to smile a bit. It was a rare thing for a man to not want to sleep with her when he had the chance to. 

“That sounds so eighteenth-century of you. Should I expect you to court me soon?”

“If my lady desires so, I shall.”

Rey pinched his bicep, and boy was it a wrong move. She wanted to do it in a playful ‘you’re funny’ kind of way, but once she put her hand on that toned, hard bicep, all innocent and playful thoughts went out the window. Damn it, she was craving his body like she’d never had for any other man. And the worst part was that she didn’t know how to deal with it. 

“Okay, I’m going before I throw all my good intentions out the window. See you later.” 

She didn’t even get to say goodbye as he was out the door like he had to put out a fire. Well, maybe he did. She sure needed to put out the fire burning low in her stomach. And damn it, to get ready for the party. No creep was going to keep her from having fun. Knowing that Kylo was closely watching and putting a guard on her, she felt safe. And no leaving her drinks unsupervised. 

After a physical cold shower for Rey and a mental one for Ben, they carried on with their separate tasks. Ben immediately contacted his team to let them know that a guest needed a guard, asap, giving them directions to Rey’s lodge. He didn’t dare ask her the time she was planning to leave her room as he didn’t want to sound pushy or like he was coming on too strong. It was enough for her that there was a possibility she had already been targeted by some weird creep. He was going to give her space and time and… hold on a minute. What was he doing? Was his mind thinking along the lines of uncharted territories and starting a relationship with Rey? After one day? He was going crazy for sure. This was so not like him. 

“Boss, we need your help at the Snow Night stage.”

The buzz of his walkie-talkie interrupted his thoughts. He was falling down the rabbit hole pretty fast so he more than welcomed the interruption.

“What is it that you need? Do I have to pass by HQ and get something from there?”

“No, no. Just bring your patience because one of the artists is having a hissy fit.”

That was no news. It happened from time to time, mostly with the newer artists not accustomed to the festival rules and the festival life. He always made sure to fulfill all the artists’ demands and have them happy when on stage. 

“Okay, got it. Do we still have time until he’s up to perform?”

“Yeah, ‘bout fifteen minutes or so.” 

“I’ll be right there.”

He was pretty close to the Snow Night stage so he arrived backstage just in time. He knew this artist, they were friends, good ones actually. They met when the first festival was organized, and he had to meet and greet all the artists. They hit it off instantly and they kept in touch even outside of the festival period. 

The artist was now pulling his hair like he wanted to rip it off and pacing around the backstage area like a caged lion. He saw Ben the minute he got in his peripheral vision. 

“Ben, my man. I’m going mental over here. This didn’t happen last year. Why now? Why? When I am trying something completely new.”

Ben stopped in front of him and put a hand on the other man’s shoulder to calm him down. He already knew that this was a big night for Poe, hell, it was big for all of them. He was the first DJ to mix in a live session during their festival. He’d heard of a few other DJs doing it but none of them had been during a festival show.

“You have to relax, buddy. I can’t help you if you don’t tell me what happened and what can I do for you?”

Ben saw Poe trying to take big breath, knowing that if they weren’t under a lot of pressure, they would have solved it at a bar after one or two drinks, just like they did when one of them needed to vent about life and stuff. 

“Somebody managed to misplace a piece of paper I desperately needed.”

Like searching for the needle in a haystack. 

“What was on the paper and can we get the content from another resource? We have printers and we have IT guys at your disposal. You name it and I will get it done.”

“Nah, man, that’s the thing. I wrote down a few songs I had in mind for tonight, just to guide me a bit in case I get too anxious and lose touch with the audience.” 

It was not that bad… 

‘You have to trust yourself, Poe. You can do it - you always synchronize perfectly with your audience, so there’s no way you won’t know what and how to mix. I’ve heard you live many times, remember?”

Poe was looking at his shoes. He was famous, up there in the top 20 of the world’s biggest DJs but he was also human and self-doubting himself from time to time. 

“Listening to me at my record label doesn’t really count, you know? I was relaxed because I was with my friend and there was no pressure.” 

“Want me to stay on the stage with you?”

“I must look like a whiny baby right now. Look at me, all grown up, famous, and I am asking you to babysit me.”

“No worries, man. Really. It’s the least I can do.” 

Poe looked relieved and somewhat reassured about Ben’s words. 

“Okay, I can do this. It will be fine, right?”

“Hell yeah. Go, buddy. I’ll be on your left. If you need anything, push the panic button with your foot.” 

Poe adjusted his attire, ripped jeans and a simple white t-shirt, his trademark combo. Simple yet extremely popular with his fans. Ben peeked out at the audience and saw most of them were wearing white t-shirts. Sure, some had different logos on them or fluorescent painting, but Poe’s true fans were present and ready to be amazed. 

Ben was even more satisfied that they’d built the Snow Night stage a long time ago and had equipped it with a heating system and air-con. It was a perfect balance right now and he knew from experience that it was about to get hotter as soon as Poe unleashed his talent on the crowd. 

And the ceiling, he was still applauding himself for having that inspiration. He remembered that moment like it was yesterday. They were all gathered at HQ in the press conference room. Back then it was just a big table with a lot of chairs and some refreshers. They were discussing the amount of time it would take for them to build some of the stages from scratch that weren’t already on the premises. They needed to put together the architectural plans and start the official documentation if they wanted it ready in a year and had the mayor’s assistant present for consultancy reasons. He wanted to know upfront what he could or couldn’t do before investing in anything. He was a risk-taker but he wasn’t foolish. A lot of people were putting their livelihoods on the line for this to happen and be a success. 

He knew his team was talking but he wasn’t paying any attention as he was trying to figure out how he could capture the experience of viewing the clear sky full of stars during the artists’ performances. And then it hit him: a ceiling made of glass. Sure, it implied a lot of work and an intricate architectural design, but he just knew it would be worth it. After pitching his idea, there was a long pause in the room, while people digested it. And then they all started talking and building on it and within the year, he got to witness Snow Night being finished and watching the first artists perform. The amount of Instagram photos of the ceiling taken that night significantly slowed their servers. That meant the people loved it and throughout the years it brought more and more people to this particular stage. 

Back to the present, he took a look at the ceiling one more time and it had the same effect on him as it always had: he felt free and in awe of the boundless sense of space it offered. 

It was time to rock this crowd. He wanted this moment to be perfect for Poe and his fans, so he was going to be there the whole time. Pulling his walkie-talkie to his mouth, he started choreographing the show. 

„Okay, Mitaka, stay with me. I need your team to run this show as smoothly as ever. Water bottles for Poe placed around his desk. Be careful your people are not to be seen by the crowd when they do that. They will accidentally think it’s Poe and we’ll spoil his entrance.”

„On it, boss. Two more bottles and we are done. We added his favorite energy drink, no sugar, bio thing.”

„Are the sound and light effects guys ready? They should start... hang on... now.”

And because he was keen on punctuality and all his teams knew that, the stage was left in the dark for a brief second and then red spots started dancing all around. The crowd was going crazy yelling Poe’s name. On-point and perfect. 

„Great, Mitaka. They’d better keep up until we are done. Live streaming is on?”

„Yes, no interruptions so far. We have the backup if needed. We are live on Facebook and Instagram and on our website. The number of people watching is going up by the second.”

„Great. Let me know if you need my help, I’m on stage with Poe.” 

Then he switched to the security channel. 

„Jay, update on Rey Rohnson?”

„She’s in the crowd at Snow Night. One of our guys is two people behind her. No incident so far. Thank God for that fleece of hers, she’s easily spotted in large crowds. She looks just like us, boss, that’s funny.”

First Jamie, no Jay? Were they all plotting to point that out to him? No, he was the one going crazy over this. Take it easy, Ben. She was a scared little thing, she needed to be eased into whatever he wanted to do to her. And that was yet to be defined. 

„Sure. Just keep me updated.”

„Of course.”

In the crowd, Rey and her friends were having the time of their life. They’d heard a lot of good things about this stage but to see it live was something else completely. She loved stars. There was a romantic part in her somewhere and she loved just watching the stars and emptying her mind. Doing that with a man might’ve made it even more interesting if it were a specific tall and weirdly handsome man she had in mind. She was still baffled that he just opted to kiss her and then go, even when she gave him the okay to do more. 

Well, that was a worry for another time. She was in the middle of a crazy crowd, listening to Poe, who she secretly fangirled over, and her friends were enjoying this as much as she was.

Once Poe finished his stellar performance and the crowd cheered for him for ten straight minutes, asking him not to leave, it was time to get out of the room. They wanted to switch stages based on the line-up they picked and they needed to hurry. Rose gave the hint that she was hungry so a pit stop was required. 

The food court area was out in the cold open air and she knew it was time for that lovely jacket to be put to good use. After a short trip to their lodge, they were ready to get out and this time Rey knew she will not suffer with the cold. 

They picked different types of food and gathered around a high table, placing it in the middle for sharing purposes. They were tight like that, her friends and Rey, and she even shared her fries with them, because who doesn’t love fries? And eating them with her friends was a sacred moment. A little bit dramatized, but who cared? 

Rey was just about to take a bit bite of the juicy wurst when somebody tapped her shoulder. Her initial instinct was to look at the person sitting in front of her, that being Rose in this case. And seeing Rose’s blush in full bloom, she could only concluded that it was either a famous person or maybe Kylo.

She turned to the person who dared interrupt her from eating one of the most delicious looking sausages in the world (yes, yes, she knew that it sounded dirty) with a half murderous look on her face. 

Kylo was watching her every move and changed his posture from a relaxed “I just dropped by to say hi” to a bit more rigid one. 

What the heck? He was almost asking for it with his presence, so she took a big bite, which wasn’t normally her thing, at least not in public, closing her eyes and, for the love of putting on a real show, she sucked the juices from it when she finished. Damn, it was as good as it looked and she wanted more. Back to reality, she was forced to open her eyes and come down from her food porn experience. 

She put on her innocent look while swiping her tongue all around her lips, just to make sure she got all the grease that might have dripped down her face. 

Kylo? Oh, he was in trouble. So much trouble. He just witnessed a wet dream he knew would top most of his fantasies. Oh, hang on! It wasn’t a wet dream because, damn, Rey had just performed it in public, no less. He didn’t know if he wanted a bite of that wurst or a bite of her or both, or… nope, he was hungry in every sense of the word.

“Hello there, Mister Kylo.” 

She was mocking him. She was in the mood to play and he was in the mood to follow her lead.

“Tell me, Rey, do you like to be spanked in public?”

That got to her and her friends. Rose spilled her drink all over their food, whilst Finn was ready to jump in if Rey needed help. 

And Rey, she had an interesting glow on her face and she wasn’t backing down. She moved closer to him and spoke softly, for his ears only.

“You can either make good on that threat or you can just stand here and watch me finish this scrumptious sausage.” 

He was not going to manhandle her again, not in front of her friends and after what happened to her last night. Nobody said he couldn’t state his intent with words, though.  
“What if I want a taste?” 

She made her point by taking another bite, this time doing it a bit faster with no sound effects following. 

“You had your chance earlier. Maybe it’s too late now.”

She moved further away from him and rejoined her friends. 

Doing the respectful thing, Ben shook hands with Finn and said “hi” to Rose and the rest of the gang.

“So how are you enjoying the festival so far?”

“Hats off to the organizers, man. Everything seems to be hand-picked, the food, the cleanliness, we didn’t have to wait in line for anything. It all looks like somebody put a lot of work into it.”

Hearing genuine feedback like this made him feel so proud of what they’d achieved. 

“Glad to hear it. There’s a big team effort behind all of this. So, what did you listen to today?”

A petite blonde who he hadn’t noticed until then, jumped in and answered. 

“We saw that hot piece of ass Poe. He was, like, out of this world. I am Kaydel, by the way. These crackheads have zero manners sometimes.” 

“Hi. Kylo, nice to meet you. What Poe did tonight was something rare. He will be happy to hear that you loved it.”

“If you can tell him, that would be amazing. He’s one of our favorite DJs.” 

That gave him an idea, one that he could easily follow through. 

“How about you guys tell him directly? Would you like that?”

All of them stopped chewing on their food. He rendered them speechless. This kind of opportunity doesn’t come by too often in one’s life. 

“You’d do that for us?” Rey put her hand on his like she couldn’t believe he was real and that he really meant what he was saying. 

“Sure. Why not? I can take you to him. He’s still backstage for a while.” 

“Lead us to him, Mister Kylo.”

His eyebrow twitched hearing her continue her torment, and so he started planning on how to turn the tables soon.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Do you like it?”  
Rey knew that the raspy voice and hot breath down her neck were Kylo’s.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are with another chapter in this winter madness. A bit of fluff coming your way and soon there has to be some smut (because I promised and we can't let Rey crave mysterious Kylo for too long). 
> 
> As always a BIG thanks to my beta, Cecilia1204 (her works can be found here: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cecilia1204/pseuds/Cecilia1204), for her continuous help. And also for my Thirst Order house for being there and helping me by always being there.

What was it with her and this tantalizing need to pick on Kylo? That was a mild way to put it. It was rude of her to mock him in front of her friends, though he didn’t seem to mind. She would going with him it it annoyed him as she didn’t want bad vibes between them. Was she an overthinker? Yes, yes she was. Her thoughts took another direction when they reached the Snow Night stage building.

They all knew the drill, keep your bracelets in plain sight so that they could enter the zones they had access to.

This time though they all wanted to have access to the backstage but Kylo got stopped by the guard at the entrance.

“Hold on. Your friends there don’t have the right access pass to this area. They cannot go in.”

They were in trouble and Rey didn’t like this kind of trouble, at all. She wanted Kylo to keep his job and not get fired by something this stupid.

“Hey, it’s ok. We can go back.”

She was about to tug Kylo’s arm and exit the building but he wasn’t on the same page as her.

“Go back to your friends. I’ll be there in a second.”

Of course, she was not about to listen to him. She moved a bit further away from him and the guard, finding the right spot from where she could hear what they were talking about and intervene if things got ugly.

“Okay, give me access badges for the backstage then. I’d like to not be stopped in any of the other checkpoints.”

“With all due respect, sir, but we can’t do that without our boss’s approval.”

There was no reply from Kylo for a few seconds, which could mean either a good or a bad thing.

“Go ahead, call him. I’ll wait.”

The guard proceeded to dial the number and in the weird silence that enveloped the entrance area, distinct buzz could be heard.

Kylo pulled out his phone and answered, his “hello” being followed by silence from both he and the guard. Rey turned slowly, just in time to catch the bemused look on the guard’s face, the smugness in Kylo’s and the guard hanging up and asking how many badges he wanted.

“For all of the guests I’m with. And thank you. You are doing your job, don’t forget that.”

Rey pretended she was looking at her boots when Kylo reached her and without preamble, clipped the badge on her jacket’s pocket. He did the same with all her friends and they were on their way to meet Poe. The earlier incident was still on her mind and she made a mental note to ask Kylo about it later. There seemed to be many Kylo thoughts piling up in her head. Was this a sign that she desperately needed some alone time with him?

“Rey, oh my God, this is amazing. I hope you’re going to make Kylo very happy later for this once in a lifetime opportunity.”

“You’re crazy, Rose. I’m pretty sure he is not doing this to get in my pants.”

If only Rose knew it was the other way around. Take the time and convince or maybe seduce? Yeah, seduce him. Charm him and make him do it sooner.

“I’m not saying that he’d do it solely for that, but you know, bonus points for him.”

“Whatever you say, Rose.”

Rey was paying more attention to their surroundings because this was the first time going behind the scenes of such an event and she wanted to absorb all the details. She was aware that there was a lot of hard work behind putting on this festival and now she was witnessing it live. It was just tremendous. The number of cables spread all around the hallways, though looking like a mess, were all color-coded and grouped. In case of a technical problem they needed to identify it fast. Then there were the people. While some hallways were empty, you could see at least a group of two or three people in discussion, looking through papers, checking lists, talking on the phone, like a well-oiled machine. She watched carefully how people shook hands with Kylo, gave him fast status updates and then let him go on. He had certain respect among these people, which she found was an interesting turn on for her.

She wasn’t really attracted to alpha men… was she? Not that she’d realized. The guys she’d dated had been handpicked by her parents mostly and she only went with it to please them for the first month. After that she’d chose to move on with her life alone. It didn’t matter that they told her each time that she was difficult and her expectations were to high, never believing the men they suggested would be a good match for her. What they ceased to understand was that their “good” wasn’t what she wanted. She wanted more than good. She wanted the mind-blowing, breathtaking and “I can’t remember my name” kind.

“This way. Careful, Rey, you could easily trip around here.”

His hand was burning a permanent mark on hers. He was just trying to avoid an accident but, oh, was he provoking something inside her. Cells bumping into cells, blood colliding with the vessel walls and gliding fast toward her core like a broken dam and that their final destination. It wasn’t proper for her to drag him into a dark corner and release the pressure building between her legs, was it? Damn this man and his touch.

Kylo opened a door that had “Staff and artists only” written on it. It even had a badge scanner so Rey knew this was where Poe had to be. Besides being awfully turned on, now she was excited to meet a star. A star she actually admired and followed. The room they entered was buzzing with people, from staff members to most probably personal assistants, makeup artists, and fashion consultants. There was an open bar and somewhere in the back of the room, a table with food, coffee and tea.

“Poe man, have a minute?”

“For you, anytime. What’s up?”

Fucking Poe was standing in front of them, all casual and relaxed, like he wasn’t worshipped by thousands and thousands of fans all around the world.

“Wanted to introduce you to some friends of mine.”

He didn’t say fans or people, he said friends. Rey’s heart was warming up more and more. This was not a good sign, no-no.

“Any friend of yours is a friend of mine. Hi there, I’m Poe.”

He extended his hand and had the patience to shake all of theirs. The last person he met was Rey. Poe’s face extended in a big smile and he shook her hand a bit longer than he did with the rest.

“Who is this beauty you kept hidden from me until now?”

She was freaking blushing and there was no way she could have faked it. Screw it, let them all know she was fangirling. Kylo wasn’t comfortable with the scene as he tugged Poe’s hand away and distanced him from Rey.

“Oh, I get it. Okay, man, my bad. Still, I have to say, you are beautiful.”

“I’m Rey.”

Her brain was having trouble keeping up with the conversation, seeing that she was answering Poe’s initial question, not his compliment.

“Rey, nice to meet you. And I hope I will see you around more often. Ain’t that right, buddy?”

Poe clapped Kylo’s back and winked at him. Oh… oh… he thought Rey was Kylo’s girlfriend or something. Boy, did he have it wrong. From Kylo’s jealous reaction though, she couldn’t blame Poe for his conclusion. She needed to settle this later with Kylo. She didn’t like to put a label on things but clarifying some boundaries was in order.

Kylo didn’t answer Poe because there was no right answer that wouldn’t have been misunderstood by anybody present.

“Anyway, I promised the guys that they would get to meet you while you were still around.”

“Of course. I was just about to go to the main stage to catch a friend of mine performing there. Care to join me?”

They said yes, all of them. Like what? Get to go to the main stage with Poe? Talk about dreams coming true.

“Yeah, sure. They all have the correct badges to gain access, so we can go.”

Kylo was always making sure that things went smoothly but she understood his worry after the earlier episode. He took the lead again and took them through a maze of doors, hallways, and other security checks once again. Rey noticed that there was a lot of security around, including the Bundespolizei, the Austrian Federal Police. It was the first time she’d seen them and she had a feeling they were present due to her incident. All in all, she was feeling safe with the reinforcements, not to mention that Kylo was there and she knew he felt guilty. He did show signs of being extra careful to keep her in his line of sight at all times.

They got outside and the winter hit them fully with the snowflakes that danced all around. Great, more snow. The main stage was built within the local stadium and that meant they were only half covered. They didn’t enter through any of the entrances she remembered from the festival map, which meant that Kylo was probably taking them via a shortcut. She just went with the flow, no time for questions, and this overthinking was bringing down her mood.

Let go, Rey, and enjoy something without worrying. There was time for that when her head hit the pillow later in the night.

She had been wrong to think Kylo was taking a shortcut towards the main stage because he was actually taking them to the front of the stage, a line of security between them and the crowd. If she extended one of her hands she could actually touch the stage or even grab the artist who was performing. This was amazing. She’d been to concerts in the past, had VIP tickets - golden ones, you name it – but was never this close. She could feel the bass deep in her chest and when she put her hand above her heart she could feel her skin vibrating. It was pure and raw pleasure. It was intense and was so near the sound system she just hoped her ears would not suffer in the long run.

“Do you like it?”

Rey knew that the raspy voice and hot breath down her neck were Kylo’s. He was standing behind her, not hugging her, just his front touching her back, and it was enough for Rey to forget where they were and that a lot of people were watching them. Only artists, vloggers, and other famous people were allowed to be where they were and that always captured the crowd’s attention, but Kylo was doing things to her with only his voice and she was focused only on that. She nodded, there was no way she could have answered without turning her head toward him and that would have drawn her closer to his lips and neck. No need to inhale his scent and faint. She’d lost consciousness once, there shouldn’t be a repeat.

“Good.”

Out of the blue, he put his hands around her midsection and tugged her into him. To outsiders, they looked like lovers, acted like ones when she put her hands on his and let her head rest on his chest, closing her eyes to feel everything better.

Poe and her friends were taking selfies, Poe signing autographs for his fans who didn’t get to see him on earlier occasion. Everybody was having a good time and it was the perfect way to wipe last night’s events from her mind. This is what she needed and hoped to have when she got here in the first place. Of course, she wasn’t expecting to find Kylo, and that added to her good mood, no, to her euphoria. It was like a dream, felt like one, enveloped in Kylo’s warmth in such a protective way that she didn’t need anything else.

“Guys guys, smile for the camera.”

Rey thought it was one of her friends, but it was actually one of the festival’s professional photographers. She didn’t shy away, although that was her first instinct, just smiling while engrossed in Kylo’s perfect hug. She was looking forward to seeing that photo online and saving it on her phone. Add it to Kylo’s number so that she could see it whenever he called her. Not crazy at all. What if he never called after the festival? What if this was just a one time thing? She couldn’t let her thoughts go down that road unless she wanted to shed a lot of dark on her current mood.

She dared to take only one photo with her phone of the artist performing on the stage, just so she could have proof that this was actually happening. Would Kylo mind if she took a photo of them? She didn’t risk asking him and took one quick one without him noticing. Was she becoming a crazy fan/ stalker? Hopefully not. It was so not like her. There was something about Kylo that brought to the light, or maybe into the dark, new pieces of her she had yet to discover.

After a couple of hours of dancing, singing and actively participating in the main stage show, they decided it was time to get some air and some warm liquid, no matter the form of it. The stadium was protecting them from the wind, creating a greenhouse effect with it being full of people breathing the same air, constantly moving and creating a lot of heat.

Kylo proposed a small restaurant he knew that offered both fresh air and warm drinks. It was situated on the rooftop of one of the hotels and you had the option of either sitting at a table out in the open around a fire pit or under a sphere that protected you from the wind and had floor heating. Both ideas were appealing, but for the moment the wind was pretty nasty and snow was coming down from the sky in unstoppable waves. The view was incredible from the sphere. They were seated at a round table, on cozy armchairs and sofas and had complimentary blankets for those who needed extra warmth.

Poe was with them, patiently answering her friends’ questions. He didn’t seem to mind the thorough examination Rose was conducting at the moment. He looked pleased that he had the answers and right then and there, Rey decided that she liked Poe even more, as a person, not in a romantic way. Away from the stage lights, he was a simple person, full of energy and life without being a snob or any other superstar traits.

Rey was seated between Kaydel and Kylo, not paying any attention to Kaydel’s conversation with Finn. She was staring at Kylo’s hand resting on one of her thighs. He wasn’t really moving it upwards and she wanted to scream at him to stop fooling around and do it. Move it higher and higher and higher until he hit that spot where all her pleasure was pooling for some time now. Hot and bothered. That was what she was now, with all her friends present, in public.

She needed some release and she was sure Kylo was in no position to give it to her now. Sometimes you had to take matters into your own hands and solve the problem so she excused herself and went in search of the bathroom. Inside, she looked in the mirror and noticed her flushed face and knew it wasn’t because of the wind. Her clothes suddenly felt tight and she wanted to be rid of them. She unzipped her shirt until her bra was peeking out of it, glad that she left her jacket at the table. She was hot everywhere and wasn’t sure splashing some cold water on her skin will do the trick. Could she do this in a bathroom? What if somebody caught her? The door was locked and she could stop at any time if somebody were to need the bathroom. She had on a pair of thick leggings through which she could still feel her fingers and dared to move one hand between her legs, jumping when she reached her bundle of nerves. She had to be quick and precise if she didn’t want one of her friends to come looking for her.

She was about to put her hand inside her leggings when there was a knock at the door.

“In a minute,'' she called out. She couldn’t do it so quickly, so she’d have to go back to the table and squirm her way out of God knows how many minutes or hours in the presence of hot stud Kylo.

“Rey, open up!”

Kylo… Kylo was here. But why?

“I’ll be out in a minute.”

He wasn’t having it.

“I said open up.”

This man… She pulled her zipper up, rearranged her hair and unlocked the bathroom door with the intention of getting out. Kylo had other ideas, pushing her back in and cornering her in the small bathroom. He was a big man and this bathroom wasn’t made for two normal people to fit in, let alone for both her and Kylo.

He didn’t say anything, going straight for her lips and kissing her with feverish and uncalculated moves that were hard to follow. Rey stopped trying to meet his lips and let him take the lead. She was gone before he’d even showed up.

“Did you think I missed how pent up you were all night? And that trick with the sausage you pulled?”

He was talking between kisses and it was hard to follow and not faint from his attacks.

“What were you doing here, Rey? Without me?”

She was looking at him and turning red by the second, caught, well, red-handed. How the hell did he know? She wasn’t making any noises when he arrived.

“I saw how you were licking your lips from time to time, how your breath changed its pace when I touched you. Did you wish for me to take you on that table in front of your friends earlier?”

“Not in front of them.”

“God, Rey. I want you so bad.”

“So take me.”

She needed this as much as he did, perhaps even more. She was in awe of the palpable energy sizzling between them.

“Not here and not like this. I want a little taste first.”

He unzipped her shirt just like she did earlier and saw him lick his lips at the sight of her breasts covered by red lace. He touched her just above her bra and then tugged it down quickly so that he could have access to her nipple. But he didn’t have touching in mind. No, he went in with his lips, kissing it, followed by gentle suction while his hand mimicked his lips with her other nipple. Could she cum from just this? The pleasure was so intense she had no clue if she’d embarrass herself by not lasting longer.

Her shirt was completely unzipped at some point, her bra out of the way and now Kylo was tugging her leggings lower after teasing her through them. He kneeled in front of her, in line with her inner thighs and taking a deep breath which made her feel self-conscious and then dived right in, touching her clit with his nose. Was that even a thing? It felt so damn good, she was sure she could get off just by him pressing his nose and moving it in circles for a few seconds. She was holding on to the sink so she wouldn’t fall, moving along Kylo’s lips. She needed her release fast and she couldn't promise she wouldn’t scream.

“Kylo… Yes… There… Just there… _oh_… I…”

He was licking her folds like he was eating his favorite ice cream, humming from time to time. He was giving her just what she needed but he was taking his damn time.

“Rey, stop moving or we’ll be here for an hour and your friends will start wondering where we are. Do you want them to see us like this?”

She spasmed around his tongue listening to what he was saying. Naughty naughty girl. She wasn't aware that she liked an audience while Kylo was giving her wave after wave of pleasure.

Kylo used one of his fingers to circle around her clit, then rub further down until he reached her entrance and stopped there. His lips moved to her clit, lightly sucking it at the same time he entered her with a long, thick finger she felt going all the way in. She was going to die from this, attacked by all these sensations happening then and there. Death by orgasm, they’d write, and her parents would cringe for the rest of their llives.

Kyle could feel her getting close and rose up to his feet, keeping his finger moving inside her, replacing his lips with his thumb on her clit. He was looking at her with those big, dark and hungry eyes, lips puffed and glistening from her pleasure. The Devil in disguise, that’s what he was. Ready to ask Rey to sin. Little did he know, she was all up for it.

“Can you keep quiet?”

Ahh, well…

“I… don’t think so.”

She could barely breathe, but she knew that once she was coming she would be screaming uncontrollably.

His lips were on hers in an instant, his fingers moving faster and faster and she was coming like she never did before, screaming into his mouth, her sounds drowned by their kiss.

“That was…”

“I want more, Rey. But there’s no time now.”


End file.
